


We Let Our Battles Choose Us

by Cupcakemolotov



Series: come alive [22]
Category: The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Dark fic, F/M, Kybrid!Klaus, Mind Games, No Smut, Vampire!Caroline, mentions of torture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-15
Updated: 2018-04-15
Packaged: 2019-04-23 09:09:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,443
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14329191
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cupcakemolotov/pseuds/Cupcakemolotov
Summary: When Klaus interrupts her dinner with Tyler, Caroline learns just what she missed after running after she was changed in Mystic Falls.





	We Let Our Battles Choose Us

"Smart of you not to run, sweetheart. A bit unexpected, in one so young," the low, crisp words sent a rush of awareness down her spine. Watching the drink she was pouring glide over ice, she glanced up to tilt the bottle of gin in his direction.

Odds were this monster would kill her, but it certainly wouldn't be for rudeness. Not yet, at least. A hint of dimples she'd only glimpsed earlier, and he reached for a different bottle, didn't bother with the glass.

Figured he'd go for the expensive label.

"Thanks," Caroline said frostily after she'd taken a bracing drink. She didn't offer more, and those full lips curved as he watched her. The bar was empty, had been empty since he'd strolled in and grabbed her date by the throat.

Sadly, it still hadn't been the worst date of her life.

She took a moment to study the monster sitting across from her and he didn't seem to mind, studying her in return. Rumpled curls, scruffed jaw with a devil's smile, all of it was wrapped up in a thin, long sleeved shirt and a hint of necklaces. Any other time, she'd have flirted a little, seen if he was capable of charm.

"How do you know my hybrid?"

It was a struggle, not to stare at the temporarily dead body sprawled out on the floor like trash. She'd been surprised, when she'd run into Tyler at the train station in Barcelona, had been wary and delighted in turns. It'd been ten years since she'd disappeared, and Tyler had been a friendly ghost.

Now she was starting to see why he'd been so determined to meet. Had he hoped she'd help him? Did he intend for her to be collateral damage? Anger knotted in her chest and she took another long drink. Caroline couldn't place what this monster in front of her was but she knew he was dangerous. She'd eaten at this bar enough to be familiar with the locals, and she'd watched a four hundred year vampire run.

He shifted, expression taking on a hint if impatience, and she couldn't help the bite in her tone. "Tyler? He was a friend once."

Those lashes narrowed, and he followed her lead and took a slow sip of the whiskey in his hand. "Was he? I wasn't aware that Tyler still had any of those left, as I've made a point to kill them."

Her hands remained steady, but her pulse was hammering in her ears. "And are you going to kill me?"

A glint of appreciation at her bluntness, and he continued to watch her from curious eyes. "It's possible, but I don't believe I'd take any pleasure from it."

She snorted, and poured herself another drink. "Gee, thanks."

"Tell me about yourself," he said instead of commenting at her brittle sarcasm.

Caroline set her jaw and finally shook her head. "No."

A hint of yellow around his iris, and she set her heels to keep from bolting. Wolf yellow. But that was impossible, he'd sported veins too. When he spoke, his voice was soft and edged. "No?"

She swallowed harshly before speaking, but didn't look away. "You want to know what I know about Tyler, why I'm here, fine. But I won't barter myself to you."

He leaned back, head tilting as he studied her. "My name is Klaus, love. I believe yours was Caroline?"

Tyler had shouted it, a scream to run, but Caroline had learned a long time ago that running only incited the predator. She'd learned to not be prey. So she'd gathered her things carefully instead, had only lingered because this Klaus had told her to, motioning to the bar with the hand not curled around Tyler's throat.

Running would've been stupid.

Klaus continued to watch her, as if she should know who he was, and she hated that she didn't. It gave him an edge she didn't like. If she lived, she'd have to ask around discreetly, but she was determined to figure it out.

"Yes," she confirmed, bypassing her glass and drinking straight from her bottle as well. "What did Tyler do?"

"He belongs to me," Klaus said easily. He looked amused at her grimace of distaste. "I gave him a gift, and he's chosen to throw it in my face. Don't look so put out, sweetheart. He'll wake in a few hours, and we'll see if he's entertaining enough to let live for another decade or so."

Caroline wondered if that gift had to do with the strength she'd felt in Tyler. It was nothing compared to Klaus, but she'd no intention of asking for more details, regardless of how much her curiosity ate at her. He was watching her, as if waiting for something, and she frowned at him.

"Is this the part where I protest? I mean, yeah, I've got a serious issue with the idea that you can own someone, but I don't know anything about this gift. I ran into Tyler two days ago, and we were having dinner for old times sake. I wanted to know if he'd any gossip from our hometown. That's it."

"From Mystic Falls then, Caroline?"

She put the gin bottle down, eyed him warily. She couldn't tell if that was interest in his face or her pending death, or both. "Yes."

"I don't remember you."

Caroline swallowed at the sudden shift in his mood, as if she'd dropped a puzzle in his lap. "I took off after the whole fang-situation."

After her mom had tried to kill her. Damon. Stefan. Her dad. Neither of her parents would've expected the acting classes they'd paid for in the summers between cheerleading and dance, would've come in handy. A few changes to her appearance, and she'd disappeared. Compulsion made running easy, and she'd done her best to leave no trail. A new country, a new language, and she'd thrived.

"Curious. What would you say if I told you I'd killed a number of your childhood acquaintances?"

She compressed her lips, and shook her head. She knew her mom was still alive, and that was what mattered. Love was a complicated thing. "I wasn't particularly attached. I certainly don't know why you'd have bothered with them."

Another if those searching glasses while took another long pull from the bottle. It was entirely unfair, how good he made it look. Chemistry was tricky, and she wasn't sure how she felt about the stirring of interest as he licked his lips clean.

"That's a long story, but one I could be persuaded to tell parts of. Perhaps over dinner?"

Caroline blinked. "Like a date?"

"Hmm, yes."

"No."

This time, her flat refusal only sparked amusement. "You seem to have a fondness for that word."

"Uh, duh? I mean, you crashed my date, threatened me, discussed your fondness for torture and predilection for murder, and now I should go out with you?"

A boyish smile full of charm. "Yes."

"Going to pass."

"Well, I have always enjoyed a challenge," Klaus murmured lowly, eyes sudden filled with heat. She ignored her own body's reaction to how he looked at her, the low burn of arousal. She blamed the lack of quality sex in her life. "I believe that I'll enjoy you just as much."

"I generally avoid people who offer to kill me," she said carefully. "So really, go bother someone else."

Klaus grinned at her as he stood, swiping his bottle of booze before nodding at her own. "Take anything you'd like, love. My treat."

Then he and Tyler were gone. She stared at the now silent bar for several moments, throat working as she swallowed. She wondered if a request for dinner meant he'd decided not to kill her. She also wondered what it meant.

Because she wasn't an idiot, she went for a bottle or two of the top shelf, deciding that a few death threats meant he could pay for it. Then she took the long way home so she could think. She didn't want to run again, but even before tonight, she'd been eyeing a new place to live. She'd mastered Spanish, and had been waffling between Italian or Portuguese as her next venture.

Maybe she should look to make that move sooner rather than later. She sincerely doubted that she was enough of a puzzle that Klaus would be interested once she was out of his immediate realm of influence. She'd keep her head down for a decade or so, avoid any connection to Mystic Falls, and hope for the best.

Honestly, how much of an impression could she make in one night?


End file.
